Accumulator apparatus in strip feeding machines



March 19, 1957 HERR 2,785,891

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 jaw/W Hwomvgy March 19, 1957 R. F. HERR 2,785,891

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1953 GSheets-Sheet 2 u (I I {I l IN V EN TOR.

FITTOR/gg March 19, 1957 R. F. HERR 2,785,891

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1955 e Sheets-Sheet s IN V EN TOR.

QCHHRD F. HERE HTTORNLV March 19, 1957 R. F. HERR 2, 8

' ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 o oooooooo zc, R0 EHERR Flrromvgy March 19, 1957 HERR 2,785,891

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 13, 1953 6 sheets-sheet 5 INVEN TOR.

HTTORN E V March 19, 1957 R. F. HERR 2,785,891

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRIP FEEDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15, 1953 e Sheets-Sheet e flag- 8 F33. q 2 v Low volfoge 2 AC. Inpufi y 18 A P Pam+ Oven 15 I M ofor Field flofo'r Hrma fure INVENTOR.

g ICHHRD f HERE H T TORILEJ/ United States Patent ice ,E

ACCUMULATOR APPARATUS IN STRlP FEEDING MACHINES Richard F. Herr, Warren, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Herr Equipment Corporation, Warv ren, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 13, 1953, Serial No. 336,839

7 Claims. (Cl. 2712.3)

My invention relates to an accumulator for maintaining operating conditions between a strip dispensing apparatus and a strip receiving apparatus, and particularly to an accumulator for absorbing the relatively constant rate output of strip and the like from continuous process apparatus such as, for example, a paint oven, and for dispensing such strip to intermittently operated apparatus such as a coiler, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved accumulators of the character described.

A need has long existed for apparatus which would permit tenuous material such as strip and the like to be passed through continuous process apparatus at its optimum constant speed and which would then coil the finished strip without periodically shutting down the con.- tinuous process apparatus when the coiling device becomes filled to its capacity in order to shift the strip from a full coiling reel to an empty coiling reel.

My invention fulfills the above mentioned need by providing efficient, compact apparatus that is automatic in operation. These and other advantages will become apparent from a study of the following description and of the drawings appended thereto.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application there is shown, for purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in these drawingsz.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus embodying my invention, t

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure l, I

Figure, 3 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view generally corresponding to the line 3-3 of Figure l, certain parts being broken away to illustrate interior construction,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view generally corresponding to the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view generally corresponding to the line 55 of Figure 1, the outer casing of my apparatus being removed to show the interior construction,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view generally corresponding to the line 6-6 of Figure l,

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the details illustrated in Figure 6, certain parts being shown in section,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating operation of my accumulator apparatus, and

Figure 9 is a portion of the electrical control circuit employed by the present embodiment of my invention.

My accumulator is particularly well adapted for use with coiling apparatus such as shown and described in my co-pending application for Letters Patent, Serial Numoer 311,491. 1 have therefore shown the present invention in use with the above identified coiling apparatus;

however, it will be evident that the present invention may also be used with any conventional coiling apparatus.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, my accumulator 10 may conveniently be secured to coiling apparatus 11 so that strip S may be easily fed to either of two reel heads 12, 13 rotatably supported by the apparatus 11. Strip is adapted to be fed to my accumulator 10 from any desirable source (not shown) such as, for example, a continuous process device such as a paint oven or the like.

In brief, the coiling apparatus 11 comprises the two coiling reels 12, 13 that may be selectively driven by means of a variable speed electric motor. However, as previously mentioned, the coiling apparatus 11 herein disclosed is illustrative only and any suitable commercially available coiling apparatus may advantageously be employed.

As illustrated, my accumulator comprises an upright casing 14 supporting a pair of spaced-apart reel units 15, 16 about which the strip S is adapted to be wound. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the reel unit 15 comprises a plurality of reels 17, 18, 19, 2t), 21, and 22 that are disposed in side-by-side relation upon a shaft 23. The shaft 23 is fixedly secured to the casing 14 and the reels 17 through 22 are independently rotatable about the stationary shaft. Rollers 24 are disposed between the reels 17 through 22 for insuring that the strip will not become disengaged from the respective reels.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 3, an arm 25 is pivotally secured to the casing 16 at 26 and a roller 27 is rotatably secured to the arm 25 in position wherein the periphery of the roller 27 engages the periphery of the reel 22. A weight 23 is positioned on the free end of the arm 25 to urge the roller 27 toward reel 22.

As mentioned, reel 22 is rotatable about the shaft 23; however, one-way clutch means 2% of any suitable design is interposed between the reel 22 and the shaft 23 to limit rotation of the reel 22 to the direction shown by the arrow.

As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, reel means 16 comprises a frame structure 3t) that supports a plurality of reels 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35. These reels are similar in all respects to previously described reels .17 through 21, and the reels 31 through 35 are independently rotatable about a shaft carried by the frame 30. Rollers 24a are rotatably supported by the frame 30, these rollers being similar to rollers 24 and being disposed between each of the reels 31 through 35 for the same purpose as rollers 24.

to be Wound upon the reels 17 through 22 and 31 through 35 in the following manner: The strip leading from the paint oven or the like is adapted to first engage reel 17 and to then pass down to reel 31; around reel 31 and back up to reel 18; around reel 18 and down to reel 32; around reel 32 and up to reel 19; around reel 19 and down to reel 33; around reel 33 :and up to reel 20; around reel 20 and down to reel 34; around reel 34 and up to reel 21; around reel 21 and down to reel 35; around reel 35 2,78 use:

7 3 and up. to. reel 22; around reel- 22 passing between. the reel and roller 27 and thence to the coiler 11.

' It will be clear that, in operation, the reel unit 16 will be moved toward reel unit 15 whenever the winding speed of the coiler 11 is greater than the speed at which strip is being fed to the accumulator by the paint oven.

Means are provided to resist upward movement of the reehunit 16. by maintaining a constant downward pull thereon. As herein illustrated, a sprocket 38 isrotatably supportedv by the base ofthe accumulator apparatus. sprocket is adapted: to. be secured to a shaft 39 that is. rotatable in bearings. provided by spaced apart supports;40.,

'A. fluid-operated cylinder 41 is secured to the casing- 14 of the. accumulator 10 and the piston rod of the cylinder is secured to a bifurcated member 42 that rotatably supports a sprocket 43 between its furcations. As best. seen in. Figure a. chain 4'4 is. adapted to engage with each ofthe: sprockets 38', 43in the manner shown, one end of the chain 44 being secured to' the lower portion; of the frame 3! at 45. and the other end of thechain. being secured. to the base of the accumulator at 46. Thus, anydesired amount of downward force may be exerted on the reel unit 16 with consequent tension- In the present embodiment, the regulator 47 comprises:

an: ordinary electric motor whose armature andfieidhave been. re-wound to form a transformer whose input and.

output. windings are relatively shiftable; This, transformer or regulator operates on alternating; current: in. the conventional manner; however, since the input and output windings are shiftable relative to one another, the

output of the transformermay be varied.

As shown in Figure 9, the output of the regulator leads. to a rectifier where the current is changed from A. C. to:

D. C. and is then fedto the fieldof a-DrC. motor that drives the coiler 11. armature of the regulator will vary the latters output and this will vary the voltage. in the. field ofthe coiler drive motor and thus eifectively regulate the speed. thereof.

The purpose of the previously mentioned limit switch 49 is to by-pass the regulator 47' so as to feedfullvoltage.

to the coiler drive motor at certaintirnes and. the purpose of the switch 48 is to stop the coiler motor entirelyunder conditions to be described.

Operation is as follows, assuming the strip S has been wound about the reels contained. within the. casing. 1dv of theaccumulator in the manner previously. described: Asshown in the various drawings. and with particular reference to Figure 8', the reel unit 16 of the accumulator has been shown in its maximum down position. wherein the accumulator is filled to capacity. It. is to beunderstood, however, that the reel unit 16 willbe in..the. position shown only when the strip is first threaded. through the accumulator and. that during, normal operation. this reel-unit will not come down to this. point.

The end of the, stripS may be secured to one of the coiler reels,12, 13' of the coiler unit 11' and the. drive motor of the coiler together with the drive mechanism which feeds strip from the paintoven to the accumulator maythen be energized. Since the. switch 49 is on-the lobe, or-high point, of its cam (see Figure 6), contacts 49a carried by this; switch (see Figure 9.) interrupt cur.-

rentfl'ow through the input windings of the regulator and" thereby render the latter inoperative. Other contacts It will be clear that shifting the;

49b. carried. by this close a low voltage circuit and cause full voltage to be fed to the field of the coiler motor so that it rotates at maximum speed.

The winding speed of the coiler 11, under these conditions, is faster than the generally constant speed at which strip is being fed to the accumulator from the paint oven; consequently, the reel unit 16 will be drawn upwardly toward reel unit 15 against the resistance provided by the cylinder 41. It is to be understood that fluid pressure in the cylinder 41 has previously been adjusted to provide the required amount oftension. on the strip.

When the reel" unit 16 has moved up to point A (see Figure 8) the regulator 47 and cams 50, 51 will have been rotated; sufiiciently tocause the follower arm of the switch 49" to fall ofi the: lobe of cam 51 and into depression 51a. This movement of the switch 49 will close. contacts. 49a thereof. and permit the regulator 47 to control the field circuit of the coiler motor. Substantially simultaneouslywith the closing of switch contacts 49a, contacts 49b will open to break the low voltage circuit previously passing current to the field circuit of the motor. As the reel'unit- 16 moves upwardly from point A, the regulator 47 willcontinually reduce the speed of the coiler drive motor until the winding speed of'the coiler 1 1- is. the same as the speed at which strip is being fed to the accumulator from the paint oven. At this point, reel unit 16 will become stabilized and will remain substantially in one position without moving either up or down; I

lnthe event the voltage regulator 47 cannot reduce the speed of the coiler 11 to a point where the reel unit 16 becomes stabilized, the reel unit 16 will move upwardly until it reaches: point B. The follower arm of the switch 48 will then fall' oif the lobe of cam 50 and into depress-ion 50a. This Will break the circuit to both the field windings of; the coiler-drive motor and to the armature windings: thereof to thus cause the motor to stop. As. soonas the" coiler 11- stops, the reel unit 16 will start to move downwardly since stripis still being fed to the accumulatorbythe paint oven-and since the cylinder 41 isconstantlyrpulling on the reel unit. However, in order to. prevent needless cycling of the coiling unit 11, the drive motor" ofthe coiling unit will not be re-energized until the reel unit 16 has moved down to point A. This. controlcircuit has. notbeen shown since it is providedby. a pluralityof conventional contactors and holding circuits.

Returning oncev again tothe situation wherein the reel unit has: become stabilized by action of the voltage regulator and assuming that a suflicient quantity of strip has been woundxuponthe coiling-reel of the coiling unit 11, the operator will stop the coiling unit 11'. He will then severrthestrip from the completed reel and secure the severed? endi-leading.fromthe accumulator to an empty reel ofi the coiling apparatus;

Duringstlie-discontinuance of the coiling operatiomthe reel unitlfil has been" moving steadily downward under thezpressurei-exertedby the cylinder 41 to absorb the strip being fed fi-om'the paint oven. It will be noted that the end of the' strip leading-from theaccumulator will. not run back into the accumulator even though it has" been severedfrom: the coiling unit 11' because of the one-way clutch 29 which prevents reverse rotation of reel 22 of reelunit 15 and roller 27 which tightly presses the strip against this reel:

As soon asthe free end of the strip S has been secured to the empty reel of the'coiling'unit 11', theoperator-will energize the coiling unit to once again start the coiling operation. This-will thencause the reel unit'16 to start moving; upwardly again to repeat the cycle.

Inflow-of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilledfin" the art'that' l liave accomplished at least the principal objector my invention and it will also be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified,

without departing from the spirit of the invention, and

that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described, hence it will be' appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

lclaim:

1. For use with strip dispensing apparatus operating at a relatively constant rate and strip receiving apparatus operating intermittently and at variable speeds, an accumulator for receiving strip from said dispensing apparatus and for passing strip to said receiving apparatus, comprising spaced-apart reel means upon which the strip is adapted to be wound, said reel means being relatively movable toward and away from each other to vary the storage capacity of said accumulator, means yieldably urging said reel means away from each other with predetermined force, means for etfecting operation of said receiving means at relatively high speed when said reel means are relatively widely spaced, means for reducing the speed of said receiving means as said reel means move together, and means for stopping said receiving means when said reel means are relatively closely spaced.

2. An accumulator for passing strip to receiving means, comprising a plurality of reels upon which strip is adapted to be Wound and including a first set of reels coaxially disposed in side-by-side relation and a second set of reels also coaxially disposed in side-by-side relation, the axes of said reels being disposed in spaced-apart parallel relation and the axis of said first set of reels being fixed in position and the axis of said second set of reels being movable transversely of its axis toward and away from the axis of said first set of reels to thereby vary the storage capacity of said accumulator, a fluid motor connected with said second set of reels to effect movement thereof in a direction away from said first set of reels, means for effecting operation of said receiving means at relatively high speed when said reel means are relatively Widely spaced, means for reducing the speed of said receiving means as said reel means move together, and means for stopping said receiving means when said reel means are relatively closely spaced.

3. An accumulator for receiving strip from dispensing apparatus operating at a relatively constant rate and for storing said strip under tension and for passing said strip to engagement with coiling apparatus operating intermittently and at variable speeds, comprising spaced-apart reel means upon which said strip is adapted to be wound, said reel means being relatively movable toward and away from each other to vary the storage capacity of said accumulator, means for efiecting operation of said coiling apparatus at relatively high speed when said reel means are relatively widely spaced and for effecting operation of said coiling apparatus at relatively low speed when said reel means are relatively closely spaced, and means to prevent movement toward said accumulator of the strip portion extending between said accumulator and said coiling apparatus upon disengagement of said strip portion from said coiling apparatus.

4. In strip handling apparatus, the combination of accumulating apparatus for storing varying amounts of strip and having an entrance portion for receiving the strip and an exit portion for exit of the strip and of withdrawing apparatus engaged with the exiting strip portion and operable at variable speeds to withdraw strip from said accumulating apparatus at variable rates, said accumulating apparatus holding the stored strip under a longitudinal tension which exerts a force tending to pull the strip in a reverse direction from said withdrawing apparatus to said accumulating apparatus, means interposed between said accumulating apparatus and said withdrawing apparatus and operable to engage the exiting strip portion to prevent movement thereof in said reverse direction when the longitudinal tension exerted by said accumulating apparatus is predominant, and means for effecting operation of said withdrawing apparatus at relatively high speed when a relatively large amount of strip'is stored in said accumulating apparatusandf fotf reducing the speed of said withdrawing means as the amount of strip stored within said accumulating apparatus decreases.

5. In strip handling apparatus, the combination of an accumulator for storing varying amounts of strip and of withdrawing apparatus engaged with a strip portion exiting from said accumulator for Withdrawing strip from the latter, said accumulator having a plurality of rotatably mounted reels about which the strip is adapted to be wound to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending reaches and said accumulator having an exit reel about which the exiting strip passes to said withdrawing apparatus, said reels being relatively movable toward and away from each other to vary the length of said strip reaches to thus vary the amount of strip stored in said accumulator, means for holding the strip stored in said accumulator under a longitudinal tension which exerts a force tending to pull said strip portion in a reverse direction from said withdrawing apparatus to said accumulator, and means preventing movement of said strip portion in said reverse direction when said longitudinal tension is predominant comprising means for preventing rotation of said exit reel in a direction to pass strip in said reverse direction and means for maintaining said strip in frictional engagement with said exit reel.

6. In strip handling apparatus, the combination of an accumulator for storing varying amounts of strip and of withdrawing apparatus engaged with a strip portion exiting from said accumulator and operable at variable speeds for withdrawing strip from the latter at variable rates, said accumulator having a plurality of rotatably mounted reels about which the strip is adapted to be wound to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending reaches and said accumulator having an exit reel about which the exiting strip passes to said withdrawing apparatus, said reels being relatively movable toward and away from each other to vary the length of said strip reaches to thus vary the amount of strip stored in said accumulator, means for holding the strip stored in said accumulator under a longitudinal tension which exerts a force tending to pull said strip portion in a reverse direction from said withdrawing apparatus to said accumulator, means preventing movement of said strip portion in said reverse direction when said longitudinal tension is predominant comprising means for preventing rotation of said exit reel in a direction to pass strip in said reverse direction and means for maintaining said strip in frictional engagement with said exit reel, and means for effecting operation of said withdrawing apparatus at relatively high speed when a relatively large amount of strip is stored in said accumulator and for reducing the speed of said withdrawing means as the amount of strip stored within said accumulator decreases.

7. In strip handling apparatus, the combination of accumulating apparatus for storing varying amounts of strip under longitudinal tension and having an entrance portion for receiving the strip and an exit portion for exit of the strip, and of withdrawing apparatus engaged with the exiting strip portion to overcome the tension exerted by said accumulating apparatus and withdraw strip therefrom, the longitudinal tension exerted on the strip by said accumulating apparatus tending to pull the strip in a reverse direction from said withdrawing apparatus to said accumulating apparatus, and means providing a pass for the strip through which the latter is drawn by said withdrawing apparatus and comprising a pair of members relatively movable toward and away from each other and engaged with transversely opposed strip portions, said means being interposed between the stored strip and said withdrawing apparatus and clamping the engaged strip portion therebetween to prevent strip movement in said reverse direction when the longitudinai tension exerted by said accumulating apparatus is predominant.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fleischer June 8, .1926 Benner et al. Aug. 2, 1927 Strout Dec. .24, 1929 Prentice July 9, 1935 

